What happens when a clinical psychologist/life coach and a journalist/marketing executive can't stay properly caffeinated in the Catskills? They take over an artisanal coffee roaster and open a 400-square-foot shop in Bethel, NY. Java Love Coffee Roasting Co. founders and co-owners Jodie Dawson and Kristine-Ellis Petrik, partners and parents in business and in life, shifted careers to concentrate full-time on the art of roasting small-batch coffee.
A decade later, Java Love is one of the top artisanal roasters in the Northeast with a reputation for serving Fair Trade, organic, sustainably grown beans, which they refer to as "Coffee with Integrity." The brand is also known for spreading good vibes with its neighborly approach to doing business, supporting arts, education, sustainability and food scarcity organizations in their communities.
Dawson and Petrik operate four brick-and-mortar locations (Suffern and Bethel, NY + downtown Montclair/Upper Montclair, NJ), run a thriving online business, and partner with more than 50 restaurants, markets and retailers.
Here are a few key things to know about the beloved coffee roasters who straddle the New York/New Jersey border with four brick-and-mortar locations. Make that five when you count the thriving online store that ships roasted-to-order beans. Plus, two mobile espresso carts for catered events.
Coffee roasting was a major career shift for Dawson (a clinical psychologist) and Petrik (former CNN exec). The partners in life and business fell into the roasting world when they couldn't find a good cup of coffee near their home in the Catskills and ended up opening a tiny shop where the roaster took up most of the space.
"We didn't know a thing about roasting coffee or running a business, so we trusted our instincts, educated ourselves and forged ahead," says Dawson, who oversees operations. "Java Love was built with loads of passion, a good deal of grit, and a healthy dose of caffeine."
For sommelier-turned-roaster Petrik, it's all about the beans.
"From the start, we committed to sourcing ethically and sustainably grown beans," says Petrik, a Certified Coffee Roaster and Green Bean Buyer. "As we've grown, we've done so without sacrificing quality or integrity. At Java Love, we serve coffee made from beans roasted just a few days before—you can seriously taste and appreciate the difference."
Grand Opening at Bethel store in 2011. Where it all began.
Photo Credit: Celestina Ando Photography
If you live in the Northeast, you may have unknowingly enjoyed their coffee. The Catskills' legendary Phoenicia Diner? They Java Love. The Farmer's Grind in Westchester? They Java Love, too! More than 50 restaurants, markets and retailers in the tri-state area have partnered with the artisan roasters to serve and sell their exceptional coffee, including Whole Foods. Java Love also created private label blends for exclusive brands such as Beekman 1802.
Always in favor of inclusivity, the coffee roasters in 2019 launched Java Love Tea & Co.—a line of organic, ethically sourced teas—to raves. Tea lovers can get their caffeine fix alongside coffee-sipping friends with a perfectly steeped cup of Rooibos, Citrus Ginger, Chamomile, Peppermint, Jasmine Green, Royal English Breakfast, Earl Grey or Masala Chai. The organic, loose-leaf teas are sold in 4-ounce tins in stores and online.
Java Love satisfies more than your barista needs. Each location features yummy things to nosh on. In Montclair, the overnight oats and scones are not-to-be-missed. A hearty menu of sandwiches, wraps and other bites was created by restaurateur Meny Vaknin (Mish Mish, Marcel) for the Suffern and downtown Montclair locations. Their retail and wholesale line of Raw Breakfast Bars, Granola Bars, Gluten-Free Cowgirl Cookies + Chocolate Chip Cookies offered at all shops are more reason to make a stop at a Java Love part of one's daily routine.
For your daily cup of joe, follow along on their social @doyoujavalove.
The Spring Hotlist Drink: The Audre Lorde, named after the renowned African-American poet, was created by Mariah, a veteran Church Street barista. A delicate cappuccino made with black honey and chili powder for the fire inside the poet. The Spring Hotlist Drink is finished with rainbow sprinkles to represent Lorde’s most famous poem, "The Black Unicorn."